December 19, 2009 - 12:52am
Confused about the math-
Ok, so I'm pretty good at math. I had to get by to get through graduate and medical school. But, I'm seeing recipes with 448.5% of total ingredients? How does that work? Also, how do you figure out the hydration of your starter? What is the difference between a levain and starter as far as the percentage in hydration? Can I convert a starter to a levain? How do I figure the amount of water/ flour used by my starter or levain when making a recipe if the recipe is not properly done with percentages?
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Goes by total flour weight. Total flour weight is 100% Everything else compares to that and is a % of that weight. So an ingredient that also has 100% would be the same weight as the flour. Twisted I know but makes dough comparisons easier. One just has to know how much flour will be used.
A lavain, is it specific? To me a lavain and a starter are the same just different names.
Hydration: Take the water weight and divide by the flour weight and multiply by 100 to get % (Ex. 100g water / 200g flour = .5 x 100 = 50%
Anytime you want to know the hydration, just divide the water weight by the flour weight and convert to %. If you are using cups....they will have to be converted to weight first.
Mini :)
So, when you feed your starter you should always weigh your flour and water and that is your percent hydration? For instance, 500gms flour, 500gms water is a 100% hydration starter?
If you do that weekly than that is always a 100% starter? How do you account for the starter that you add back? I guess since that is already at 100% it doesn't change the ratio no matter how much you use.
I found the blog for Susan and that was very helpful for the rest of the BP math.
Thanks, Mini!
Tracy
Glad to be of help.
Hello, This was helpful to me also, could someone paste the link to susan's Blog I would like to read it. Thank you May we all have a blessed holiday!
Will
Here's part one.
Enjoy!
That was clear and easy to understand even for a boob like me. I am off the do my morning chores, before the little lady gets back from the hair dresser. All I have to do is go to the import store & get 2lbs of coffee. Then I can bake something.